Early readers of first drafts are essential to me, and I wish to thank my sister Marie Brennan for taking the time to read my work. She is always on hand to sort out the nitty-gritty when I find myself in a black hole, and to fill me with confidence.
Escaping to write in remote places has become the norm for me. Jackie Walsh, you are amazing at firstly booking our trips and secondly saying, ‘Pack the laptop.’
Others in the writing circle who inspired and motivated me while writing The Lost Child are Niamh Brennan, Grainne Daly, Louise Phillips, Vanessa O’Loughlin, Ann O’Loughlin, Liz Nugent, Arlene Hunt and Carolann Copeland.
I rode a media roller coaster for a while; thanks to all the newspapers and radio and TV shows that featured me, with special thanks to the researchers and producers who ensured I remained calm. Massive thanks to everyone in local media.
A special thanks to Eoin McHugh, Redmond O’Regan, Eamonn Brennan, Teresa Doran and Margaret Coyle.
And a huge thank you Marty Mulligan for having me on The Word stage at Electric Picnic 2017. You are one awesome Mullingar man.
There is always a core of strong stalwarts at my back keeping me focused. My friends Antoinette and Jo, my brother Gerard and sisters Marie and Catherine, and Lily Gibney and family.
I have the most pride a mother could have in my three strong children, Aisling, Orla and Cathal, who suffered much in their young lives following the death of their dad, Aidan. They have proved time and again that he lives on in each of them. Aidan would be so proud of how his family is coping after a harrowing few years. And I’m sure he would spoil Daisy and Shay. He still guides and protects us. Always in my heart, dear Aidan.
Finally, I dedicate The Lost Child to my parents, Kathleen and William Ward. This book deals, at one level, with some dysfunctional families. But my own family life has two of the strongest, most hard-working and caring parents I could ask for. They are always by my side and have helped me through the dark days of my life, so I dedicate this book to them, true parents.
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Patricia Gibney, 2017
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Patricia Gibney has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-78681-237-7
The Lost Child: A Gripping Detective Thriller with a Heart-Stopping Twist Page 35